Soccer Season is Over

And we are glad.

and now we have a KINDERGARTENER!

First Day of First Grade

Adventures in Camping

 With school starting tomorrow, this week has been our "cram in everything on our summer bucket list" week.  On our list for several years. . . taking the boys camping!!  Note to self:  camping is a 'together all the time' type activity, and not a great idea at the end of the summer when you're all sick of each other.  Anyway. . .

We arrived at Lake Aquhabi (a 10 minute drive from our house. . . we wanted to be able to bail if disaster ensued) and set up our tent.  A tent, keep in mind, that was very snug for 4 bodies.

Next up:  a walk around the lake.  The boys are always content throwing rocks in water; we should have just done this the whole time!

A first for Micah:

I thought it would be an awesome idea to go canoeing!  What could be more fun?

Apparently, there are quite a few things that could be more fun than canoeing when you're age 5 and 6.  Both boys got "tired" from sitting and watching Ked and I do all the paddling.  I guess they should make canoes with reclining middle seats.

 Nevertheless, we had a mostly relaxing ride around the lake.  In an unrelated (yet significant) note, I am excellent at steering a canoe.

And then. . .our night began.  I knew I was in trouble when I forgot my sleeping pills.  I knew we were in more trouble when we forgot to charge the air mattress pump before we left. But the panic set in when, after several hours of charging the pump in the campground bathroom, it still wouldn't work.  So, my friends, we had to sleep IN A TENT. ON THE HARD, HARD GROUND. WITH NOTHING TO CUSHION US. AT ALL.

Needless to say, I slept better than I thought I would.  But I was a little annoyed when I heard my husband outside the tent. . . I kept thinking, "Why is he making so much noise out there?  Doesn't he realize I'm trying to sleep?"  Well. . . in the morning I learned that a raccoon was trying (repeatedly) to get into our trash and my awesome husband was outside, chasing it away.  So thank you, brave warrior Kedron, for protecting your family from what was surely a rabid beast.

We all made it through the night.  The boys slept well, I slept better than I thought (did I mention on the hard ground?), and Kedron did OK after retreating to the minivan to sleep after his potentially deadly encounter with the raccoon.  Kedron took the boys fishing in the morning, before we headed home.

So. . . check camping off our summer bucket list.  Next year we'll plan this trip for earlier in the summer. . . or maybe for the summer after that :)

Random Summer Pics

We've been busy this summer; apparently too busy for me to blog! We've been busy. . .

. . . At the Balloon Classic

. . . At the Denver Zoo, in front of the elephant bridge,

. . . And in Wyoming!

Good thing school starts soon; maybe then things will slow down!

Bardwells. We're the Bardwells.

We headed up to Minnesota this weekend to celebrate another Bardwell graduation!  Kim apparently started planning for this event 18 years ago, perfectly arranging for Josiah's graduation party AND 18th birthday to to fall on the same day, and on a Saturday too!  Well done, Kim.  Here are the boys with the handsome graduate.

We got to see Kelsey a day after her birthday.  Micah drew her 23 candles on a card for her and then proclaimed, "That's a LOT of candles!"  You're welcome, Kelsey.  

Hangin' with Uncle Karlton . . . 

 . . . and Aunt Yvonne.  We almost convinced them to take Eli home with them.  Almost.  Maybe they realized if they took Eli, we'd make them take his brother too.

Kaleb and Eli in their matching jackets!  

Josiah, Eli, Kelsey, Kaleb, Jordan, and Micah.  I'm still trying to figure out how to transplant just 1 inch of height from these boys to mine.

All the Bardwell Men.  Who knew they made cargo shorts in so many different shades of tan?

Eli and Aunt Kim

The  next day we went out for brunch - here are the boys with Wanda and Bob.  Thanks for a fun weekend everyone!

Happy Easter!

Christ is risen indeed.  And our boys look cute on Easter.

In 2010:  Eli (almost 1) and Micah (2)

In 2011:  Micah (3) and Eli (2)

In 2012:

2013:

And today:  Eli (5) and Micah (6)

Micah, I'm sure your Nanas will be so proud to read this

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

On the way home from school today, the boys and I were listening to an A cappella group sing a song they knew.  I told the boys that all the music sounds were being made with the singers mouths; even the drum sounds they heard.

Micah:  "How do they make those sounds?"

(I tried to provide my own demonstration.  Let's just say I'm not a beatboxer).

Eli, giggling:  "Maybe he swallowed some drumsticks!"

Heard Around Our House. . .

Eli:  "I wish everything in our house was alive.  That way, if you couldn't find a book, it could just tell you where it was."

Micah, on the missing Malaysian jet:  "You know that guy who gets Nemo from the ocean?  They should just ask him to find the plane."

Good Helper

Micah helped me tonight with a little art project:

Castle Happy

For over a year, the boys have been obsessed with owning their dream toy, the Eagle Talon Castle:

We already own a much older version of this castle, purchased at a garage sale several years ago, so we have refused to buy them the newer model for birthdays or Christmas.  BUT I told the boys that if they went through their old toys and sold several of them, they could use the money to buy this castle.  Well. . . they did, and guess what arrived in the mail yesterday?

Here are the boys, making the deal official with money from their "castle fund' envelope:

Let the playing begin!

Still playing, 1 and 1/2 hours later. . .

And playing again, after supper. . .

And back at it, this morning. . .

Looks like they're happy with their purchase!

Go Seahawks!

Sorry, Nana B.  We're cheering for Seattle!